Overview

UTS has established expertise in and a reputation for providing courses relevant to the needs of the patent and trade mark professions. The UTS Master of Intellectual Property is the first at an Australian university that fulfils the entire educational requirements for registration as a registered trade marks attorney and patent attorney in Australia under the relevant regulations.

The unique feature of this course is that it may be undertaken entirely online, removing the need for students to attend face-to-face classes.

Course aims

This course provides graduates with an understanding of the principles of the registered trade mark system, the protection of unregistered marks and related forms of protection against misleading or unfair trading conduct in Australia. In addition, graduates understand the content and implication of a patent specification, enabling them to advise upon possible questions of infringement, validity and compliance.

Career options

Depending on the subjects taken, graduates may seek registration as a trade mark attorney and/or patent attorney in Australia. Arts administrators or media professionals may enhance career options through building expertise in the commercialisation or management of intellectual property assets. Other career options include patent and trade marks attorney, IP lawyer, IP portfolio manager, policy maker and government regulator.

Admission requirements

Applicants must have completed a UTS recognised bachelor's degree, or an equivalent or higher qualification, or submitted other evidence of general and professional qualifications that demonstrates potential to pursue graduate studies.

Previous qualifications can be in any discipline. Admission is at the discretion of the associate dean (teaching and learning).

The English proficiency requirement for international students or local applicants with international qualifications is: Academic IELTS: 6.5 overall with a writing score of 6.0; or TOEFL: paper based: 550-583 overall with TWE of 4.5, internet based: 79-93 overall with a writing score of 21; or AE5: Pass; or PTE: 58-64; or CAE: 58-66

Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.

International students

Visa requirement: To obtain a student visa to study in Australia, international students must enrol full time and on campus. Australian student visa regulations also require international students studying on student visas to complete the course within the standard full-time duration. Students can extend their courses only in exceptional circumstances.

Credit recognition

Course duration and attendance

The course can be completed in one-and-a-half years of full-time study or two-and-a-half years of part-time study.

All subjects within this course can be studied by distance online requiring no on-campus attendance. All lectures, tutorials, course materials and assessments are distributed by a combination of web-based technology and electronic media. Students conduct all communication with the lecturer by electronic means. A number of subjects are concurrently offered in traditional face-to-face, on-campus format.

Course completion requirements

Articulation with UTS courses

Subjects undertaken within the Graduate Certificate in Trade Mark Law and Practice (C11130), Graduate Certificate in Intellectual Property (C11229) and Graduate Diploma in Intellectual Property (C06099) are recognised within the Master of Intellectual Property. Students enrolled in either graduate certificate may apply to internally transfer to the master's program. Candidates are not awarded the graduate certificate but subjects undertaken are applied towards the master's program.

Professional recognition

The educational requirements for registration as a patent attorney and trade marks attorney in Australia with the Australian Government's Professional Standards Board for Patent and Trade Marks Attorneys can be fulfilled by completing this course. Prospective students should check with the Patent Attorney Registration Board for specific subjects required to be completed for registration at: